Official data indicate that almost 1,300 Chinese were studying at Portuguese universities and polytechnics in the last academic year, nearly four times more than seven years earlier, Lusa reports.

The Portuguese news agency, citing figures given by the Portuguese Education and Science General Administration, says languages, law, business management and public administration are the subjects favoured by Chinese students.

The report says almost 6,600 Chinese enrolled at Portuguese institutions of higher education in the last seven academic years, 3,820 of them at institutions in Lisbon, 710 at institutions in Aveiro, 523 at institutions in Braga, 446 at institutions in Coimbra and 434 at institutions in Oporto.

About 85 percent chose to study at public institutions rather than private ones, and 90.1 percent chose to study at universities rather than polytechnics, Lusa says.